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Iran submits 51 species protection proposals ahead of CITES COP20 in Samarkand
Iran has filed 51 formal proposals to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) ahead of the 20th Conference of the Parties (COP20), set to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from November 24 to December 5, the country’s Department of Environment said.
In a move that underscores Tehran’s rising diplomatic activism on biodiversity, the proposals range from mammal and bird protections to plant listings. The swift expansion of Iran’s conservation agenda comes amid growing global concern over illegal wildlife trade and biodiversity loss, IRNA reported.
Hamid Zahrabi, a deputy director of the Department of Environment, told IRNA that the COP20 meeting is the convention’s highest decision-making body, responsible for setting rules on financial, technical and administrative matters.
He added that Iran’s delegation would include around 50 specialists, a number some countries only reach for side‑committee sessions.
Zahrabi said Tehran has already held several technical and diplomatic meetings, including a session at the foreign ministry, to marshal support for its proposals.
The 51 proposals submitted by Iran include: 14 on mammals, 4 on birds, 8 on reptiles, 1 amphibian, 7 on sharks and rays, 1 freshwater eel, 2 sea cucumbers, 1 arachnid, 1 mollusk, and 12 on plants, Zahrabi said.
Many of the species under discussion have overlapping ranges with Iran, meaning any change in their international protection status could directly affect Iranian conservation policy.
Zahrabi argued that the COP20 meeting offers Iran a rare opportunity to “exchange knowledge, present its own conservation successes, and seek collaboration.”
He emphasized that many of the proposals were technical, not political, and required backing from other states. He said Tehran would be working hard to build regional and international coalitions to support its goals.
CITES, established in 1975, divides species into three appendices depending on their risk level, making trade either illegal, strictly regulated, or permitted under certain conditions. Iran’s move suggests it is pushing for a more proactive role at the convention, potentially reshaping how its biodiversity resources are managed and traded.